Arab News: RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched a new international rail logistics corridor linking its Eastern Province ports with the Al-Haditha border crossing in a move aimed at boosting trade flows and improving supply chain efficiency. 

The route connects King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, Al-Jubail Commercial Port and King Fahd Industrial Port in Jubail to Jordan and neighboring northern countries, according to Saudi Arabia Railways, also known as SAR. 

Spanning more than 1,700 km, the corridor can handle trains carrying over 400 containers each, expanding freight capacity and strengthening regional connectivity. 

The development comes at a time of disruption to regional trade routes following the US-Israel conflict with Iran, which has pushed up energy prices and affected shipping flows across key Gulf corridors. 

In a post on X, Transport Minister Saleh Al-Jasser said the launch of the new logistics corridor via freight trains represents a “practical model for integrating modes of transportation.” 

He added that SAR “supports the diversification of trade routes and boosting the flow of goods movement,”  while limiting reliance on long-distance trucking, improving the efficiency of utilizing logistics assets, supply chain operations, and expanding modern transportation solutions within the transportation and logistics services system.

The initiative supports the Kingdom’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy and Vision 2030 objectives, which aim to enhance integration across all transport modes and logistics services. 

In a post on its official X account, SAR stated that the route has the potential to connect domestic markets with neighboring countries to the east and north, adding that it “reinforces connectivity between Saudi Arabia’s seaports and northern and eastern land crossings.” 

SAR added that the service also reduces shipping time by half compared to other land transport methods. 

The corridor aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader Logistics Corridors Initiative, which aims to redirect freight from Eastern Region ports to Red Sea gateways such as Jeddah Islamic Port.